They decided to just go 4 levels today.  Level 4 was a lot like Level 3, although I was able to steal a few more blinds and ante's.  So, I am moving on to day 2!!!  Not with the chip stack I had hoped to have, but on to Day 2 nonetheless.  My chip stack is at $13,025.  Blind levels will be $200 and $400, with a $50 ante, so I will need to make something happen early on on Tuesday.

For the most part, at least for the first 3-4 hours, I was holding my own staying about the average chip stack size, never very far above or below.  The cards I was getting were decent, although I only got Kings once, and never did get Aces or Queens.

A couple hands that impacted me getting to the final table occurred when we were in the 15-20 player range.  The first happened just as we combined to two tables.  The blinds were $500-$1000, and I was dealt pocket 10s.  The first 3-4 players folded, then I raised to $4000.  A new guy at the table then reraised to $20,000.  The rest of the table folded around to me.  I had enough to call him, but didn't know anything about how he played, or what he might have.  I gave him the benefit of the doubt that he had Kings or Aces and folded.  Had I called him, it could have very well ended my tournament right there, or I could have doubled up.  I still had plenty of chips, so I decided to fight another day.

Later at the same table with the blinds $1,000-$2,000.  I early player raised to $8000.  I had big slick, so I reraised him to $16,000.  After that the big blind called, as did the original raiser.  The flop came King, rag, rag.  Both players checked.  At this point, I push all in for my last $20,000.  Both players thought about it, but folded.  One player showed pocket Queens.  He later asked me at the final table what I had and I told him.  I didn't show my cards one time during the tournament.  Winning this hand gave me around  $68,000 in chips, which was enough to get me to the final table. 

Butch was also at my table, and ended up finishing 11th, one out of the money, 

When we did get to the final table, I was probably 7th or 8th in chips.  I had squandered my chips to somewhere in the $30,000-$40,000 range.  I was pretty much short stacked for the entire final table.  My initial goal was to outlast the other short stacks, and move up the pay ladder.  10th place paid $216, 9th paid $330 or so, 7th & 8th both paid around $430, and 6th paid $500 and some.  Fifth place was over $1000, which became my next goal. 

It didn't take too long for the two real short stacks to get knocked out.  There were two very big stacks at the table and they seemed to be in most hands.  It also helped that I came over in chair number 7, which meant I didn't have to deal with blinds for several hands.  I did get pocket Kings with either 7 or 8 players left, and by the time the flop came which contained a King, I was all in along with another short stack and one of the big stacks.  This was a nice triple up, and also eliminated a player.  The big stacks eliminated another player or two, and we were down to 4 players.  At this point I was conceding 1st and second, and focusing on outlasting the other short stack.  I had it figured out that merely based on blinds, I had him covered by $5000, which was just one chip at that time, because blinds were $5000 & $10000. 

I picked up pocket 10s on the button and moved all in.  The two big stacks were behind he.  At this point I had probably $25000-$30000 in chips.  I liked my cards, but wouldn't have been sad had they folded.  Much to my surprise they both folded and I picked up there blinds, and moved a little farther ahead of the other short stack. 

Somewhere around this time frame, the two big stacks got into a hand.  The bigger stack of the two had pocket Jacks, and the other guy had King-Jack.  Given the money situation, 4th place paid $1500 or so, 3rd place paid $2400 or so, and 2nd place paid around $3800.  I was hoping the Jacks of the big stack would hold up, eliminating the other big stack, and then I would move up the money ladder.  The downside would have been the big stack would have been too large to ever overcome, but I did make more money.  Anyway, the Jacks held up, until the river, when another King showed up.  This pretty much evened out their stacks, with me and the other guy still short stacked.   

At this point, I basically had two moves, fold or all in.  This is where I finally started catching some cards, at least on the flop or on the turn.  As the small blind, I was dealt 10-8 off-suit.  I pushed all in, and of course the big blind called.  Low and behold the flop came 10-8-x.  My two pair held up, and I had doubled up.  Somewhere along here, the other small stack got eliminated by one of the two big stacks. 

My run of cards continued, another time in the small blind  I was dealt 2-7 of clubs, and pushed all in again.  I was called again by the big blind with King-Queen.  By the turn, I had made a flush, and doubled up again.  A little later on I pushed again with 7-8 offsuit, again against King Queen, and ended up with a pair of sevens by the time it was over, and had just about pulled even with the second stack. 

After trading blinds around for a few hands, I picked up King-Jack of hearts on the button, the small blind called me with King-Queen of Diamonds.  The big blind (big stack) showed Ace (of hearts) and a Queen.  He decided to fold after considering it for awhile.  So I was all in again, and dominated.  But the flop came heart, heart, heart, and I all but eliminated the second biggest stack, he had $10,000 left. 

He only lasted a few more hands, one of which he rivered a straight on me to win about $30,000.  I guess I owed him at least that much.  He was out a few hands later. 

By the time I knocked out the third place finisher, I had survived several all-ins, some I don’t even remember.  The gallery was almost in shock that I had survived each and every one.  At one point I heard someone behind me comment that his favorite one was the 2-7 of clubs.  

As we started heads-up I was probably down 60-40 in chips.  At one point of the heads up match, I had worked myself up to over $300,000 in chips, which was around 70%, but couldn’t hold onto the lead.  We went back and forth for a few hands.  I would say we only played heads up for 15 minutes or so.  On one particular hand the board flopped Queen,8, x, we both checked, then a Queen hit the turn.  I had King-8.  He moved all in.  I pondered for a minute or two.  I didn’t think he had the queen, because he wasn’t betting that strong pre flop or after the flop.  I had him covered at this point, but not by much.  I chose to fold.  I’m glad that decision didn’t come back to haunt me.

A short while later, I picked up Queen-4 of diamonds.  I was the button, and made a minimal raise and he called.  The flop came Queen-8-4.  He came out with a bet of around $100,000, and then I went all in.  He thought about it for a minute or less, and called.  He turned over Ace-8, thinking I was trying to push him off his hand.  The turn and river didn’t hit either one of us, more importantly him, and my two pair held up. I had him covered by about $50,000 in chips, so that made me the champion!!!  I was weak at the knees, and even shaking a little as the last card hit the felt and didn’t help him. 

Butch was there through the end, and probably has his own take on how it all played out.  The old adage a chip (or a couple chips) and a chair held up at least this one time.